The Sun. — London, England, 1809-07-29 00:00:00

th evening of the s ith, - What wm the state of the weather ?—A. Squally, and strong breezes N. (o N W. and sd much sea, that few boats could pill against' it. . • Q. Hew did did it continue from .thence till day-light in the morning Being up all that ,night, I observed the win't to moderate a little in the middle-of the night, but got fresh again in the Morning about day-light. Q.. Did the frigates which went in after the sm filler vessels proceed by ignals.--rA. Yes. Q. Did the - Valiant and avenge proceed in by signals ? A. They ifid.•, Examined by Lord GAMBIER. His Lordship said he felt anxious to ask a few questions •of Admiral Stopford, not on his account, bu in justification of the very meritorious con dud of the otficeriemployed in the fire-ships. His Lordship then asked, with the permission of the Court, if it was blowing a gale of wind from the porthward, with a high sea, the night extremely dark, and great ":Jitßc,ulty, if any communication could be kept up from .ship to ship : if, in his opi nion, the, service upon which these officers and men were employed in the fire-ships. was not extremely hazardous, and attended with so much danger as to give reason to apprehend that they could not return. on the evening of the h April ?.—A. Being directed . on that night to take the leading of all the boats, they were asselubled on board Ihe Cxsar ; but. there being so much sea, I thought they could not ad with effect in support: of the tire-ships; therefore di reded the Captain of the C3e,ar, at sun-set, to go to the Commander in Chief, and suggest to his Lordship the propriety of the boats remaining with the Caesar, until I thought they could a& ; of which • his LOrdship appioved, and I seleCted the boat be longing to 'the Hero, the best rowing 9 boat I could find, to go to the -Iniperieuse to acquaint Lord, Cochrane of this circumstance, and desired his Lord ship to send me word back by the heat, if he want ed any other assistance. The weather was so bad as to prevent the boat's return that with respe& to,the hazard of the Undertaking, it was fully ex emplified by one of the fire-shills prepared by, the Caesar ; she went in before the etPlosion, and before the Mediator, and -on co ming near the French fleet, she brought too, by signal from the others, the ex,. - plosion blew up close to her,' Which killed two men and damaged one of her boat's; 'in which they _ were, to comeaway, so as to 'render if.unfit for service. •The men were extremely crowded in the remaining boat,' and . the ACting-Lieutenant and one man died 'with excessive fatigue, and were picked up by the Lyra gun-brig. - Q. As that whi..h octurred =to'-the : fire-vessel did not pass under your observation;, you. will inform the' Court how you came -by a knowledge df it ?—A. From - a strict exam;nation of every otficdr and man who returned ; on comparing their accounts toge ther, ,no doubt remained on - my mind of the truth of their stateuwnr, which I communicated to - the Commander in Ciiiet.. Q. Did you receive it as the official report of the boat ?--A.. I did, as tear as I can recollect. Q. Under the circumstances at the tune before meat toned, was it not surprising- that so large a pro portion of the fire-ships passed throdgb the enemy's sh.ps;_an4 that so smill a tiUmber tailed ?—A. Every circumstance was x.lr.ausly Cw-wahltt f or i b. ships ; and therefore I took it tor granted, that when once placed ploperty, they must inevitabljr go do-vu upon the enemy s ships ; this has no reference to the men coining away, with reference to that, it was un tat ouranle. -Q. Was the situation of the Caesar near to the rendezvous of the fire-ships, previous to their being tient Ott the service ?—A. The Cmsar did not change tier situation before those opera: ions took place ; and I do not think she was nearer than any oilier ships Of the line. Q. Did you observe the manner in whiCh the, fire-ships were condutifeci generally towards the enemy ?—A. As. far as my obiervation, went, the , fire-ships seemed all to have answered the purpose of atino) Mg the enemy ; although I did afterwards bear several were set tire to at too early a period. I , Q. From your-own observation, did it appear to you that every tire-ship was condueted with equal ability and resolution towards th'e enemy ?—A. It was impossible for me or any person to fort w. any opinion of - the condutt of every .fire-ship ; in the geheral blaze of fire, obsetts were so Contonnded it was out of my power- accurately th ascertain the conduct of-the hre-ships; therefore I cannot answer that question satisfa6torily to the court-. " • Q. From what you really did observe, did it ap pear to you that any fire-ship was- set fire to at too great a distance from the enemy ?=A. Some were certainly set fire to sooner than others; - 'it appeared to me before they had run so near as 'others ;. but it was impossible, to observe whether they were near enough, The enemy's line soon began to scatter; they cut, and the ships might have beep properly. going for one part of the line, though improperly for another. Q. Between the periods mentioned in the charge, did the whole condu6t of the Commander in Civet appear to you highly meritorious In . the general question p:At tome yesterday : I answered this inquiry most sully : that answer was then re ferred to, and was deemed highly satisfactory to the Court. Q. In passing the Boyart shoal in the Csar, at what distance were you from it. About a quarter of a - mile from that part which is seen, as the water fall. The depth of water about eight fathoms; shoal cast, five fathorps ; and the next cast was on the shoal. The fire of the batteries crossed us from both sides, but , more from the Isle d'Aix, for about one Huila,. • Q. From the fire you observed, could a judgment b e iormild of the force at Isle D'Aix; immediately opposed to you at passing They did not fire their guns bat; they occasionally fired single, shot, think lotir mortars . were kept playing on us . , Mr. Sr..taLiNo, the. Nader of the lmperieuse, was 'lben examined. Did it appear to you at the time a signal was made by the Jtinperieuse, lor' the ships to cane up, that there was a 'safe and sufficient anchorage with- Out the iange'of shot and shells for the line of battle • ftvpi, sp as to egiable them to de,troy tne enemy's 'r Ki tiaaror i on the 1.1 . 1 of April, and how many line of hatile ships' could have "been anchored there, and wl > at was the depth' of water On the morning` That he lioperieuse retreated out of ihe're • ach, the Varsoyle and Atipillon being on fire, • we were upon the Palais shore; when: the imperieuse was at auclicir lii five fathom waier. It W3S high water when we anchored, about. is o. We were standing towards the Isl t ind of Aix. The sounding given by the man in the chains, to the nest of my recollection, was six to seven tathorn, the depth might be more toward.; the island ; as we did not stand in very c:ose, ( could not ascertain. When we anchored, which was out of the'reach of shot or shell, we lay in 5i tat horns, at low water. There was then about the distance from three to four cables, nearer towards the Palais sheal.than the Imperieuse had anchored, a good field for three or four sail of the line to anchor in five . and,a quarter and six fa thoms dead low-water. The marks for such anchor age I took myself,' which are the stern of the wreck which was on the Palais, direttly on with the square tower of Curds Port Island, and the windmill on the flag-staff' of the isle of Aix. The means by which I obtained this knowledge, was by my Opt) obser vations, I did not know it before, only by the ap pearance of the chart ; but I did not choose to trust it, but wished to prove it. Q. What time of tide was it when you weighed _in the inner road of Aix About last quarter flood, near high water ; the wind was not fair ; we worked out, and kept the lead going the whole of the time on both sides. We found between the tail of the Palais shoal, and the Boyart, six and a halt or seven. fathoms. Q. Had you an opportunity of ascertainina cor reCtly .what i _the rise and tall of the tide; in, the neighbourhood of the Isie of Aix in spring tides A. I ❑ever had. Q. When. you were in six fathom, in running out from the anchorage you left, how near were you to the batteries of Isle D'Aix Something less than half the level range of shot. Q. 'How many tacks did you majke in 'going out ? A. Some four or five.• 0. Then you were four or five times, as you sup pose, within-a half point blank shot of the-batteries of Aix.—A. The last two tacks we might be rather further, as the ship was working out. Q.. How -long were .you at anchor within the Isle D' Aix From two o'clock' of the 12th, till three or four o'clock of the 14th. . . Q. Then you had time to observe the:strength of the batteries, how many 'were 4, there; aid 'iu what state were theY not, exactly.:_ob serve—tlie number or_ the ; st, te,. as my, dutLip,at 7: tending to get. the rigging repaßi . titter tie ac tion prevented my making — 'any observation.— I- observed on the morning • of' the I.:nit,. tlefore We began .to engage the enemy, -.atter the Itn,pc rieuse was proceeding to annoy the enemy then on shore. I, was desired by Lord Cochrane to Lty a buoy on the Boyart shoal, which I did in sts and a half fathom water, sufficiently distant as' -to allow any ship to tack round' it. Alter which I observed on the Isle D'Aix about 20 or 24 pieces of cannon ready mounted; but I ‘keil knew the execution that th6se guns could do, would 'be very • little to any ship 'passii ig Who chose. to oppose; they . 011g : only placed - in an open platform, \as it, appear‘d to me Bout the glass in the boat. Did on oberve any considerable or material part of the work, on Isle D'iltx to be blown up or destroyed ?—A. I did. On the part that- flanks it as.we run 0)04 the shoal of the Boyart in going into the harbour. Examined by Lord GAmBiER.. Q. Did the Luperieose ground ot, tde night.of the 2th of April ?—A. Yes on the tail of the Palats Shore, winch was the anchorage at which we had been firing at the ,French ships; but not until the last quarter ebb. Q. At what time did she first strike ?—A. About seven to halt past eight in the evening : but not to hurt till about eight, when she made a great deal of water, and shook considerably. Q. Did any person communicate to you, before you surveyed the anchorage you before mentioned, for three or four sail of the line, that there was such anchorage ; or was it a new discovery 1 dis covered it myself, being at - dere,: to sound round the ship at some distance. a. Was it known on board the lniperieuse‘be. fore you went in that there was such an anchorage ? —A. Only by the view of ths. French chart.. We had no French pilots on board, nor never took any. Captain VY o4PE, of the ..4 - Ogle, examined. Q. Did it appear to yOU, at tit; time of the attack of the .enemy's ships on shore,-that, there was safe and sufficient anchorage for the line of .battle ships, without the range of shot and shell, so as to have enabled them to attack and destroy the enemy's two ships at anchor,•and the other vessels ; and if so, point "out the situation; and from the depth Of water, how many line of battle ships could have been anchored there!—A. I knew nothing of .the inner anchorage but from the pilot's intbritiatiort, on the day the attack was made on the enemy's ships in Aix Road ; but, after we had got: up' at the tit'pe of the attack, I think if the ships had remained there, .without temoving to the second anchorage, they must all have been destroyed by the shot and shells from th,e batteries of . the ,eneMy. At 1110 second anchorage, where ttie - mitiadrOn lay on 11'0 13th, which was about east of the spot where the enemy was first attacked, from my own observa tions, having been there fifteen days atter the ene my's ships were,burnt, I think four or five sail of the line might have lain there clear of the enemy's batteries ; but must have been, moored very short and very close, with other smaller vessels to fill up any vacant space, as lay there with 15 or 1G guu brigs or cutters, with the Pallas. Q. During the time. that you remained at the second anchorage, had you an opportunity of as-; certaining what was the rise of the tide on spring tides ?—A. Upon the average of the time we were there, from 15 to la feet. Q. During thq time you continued at this an chorage, did you cause sounding's to be takeri,.be tween the Palais and Boyart Shoafs?—A. I received orders from -Lord Gambier to assist Mr. Stokes, the Second Master of the Caledonia, with boats, and whatever Mr. Stoke 4 might require in surveying the anchorage, which was done, with the as , tistatice of our Master and others. Ido not .recollea any par ticular mark of Mr. Stokes, the Master, excepting his having said he had found deeper water and a little more room further to the Southward. I do not know exactly the depth of water between the Palais and the . Boyart e with the exception . of the CasSac having grounded much about Ult . , otot point ed out it ctt4 - . tati 411 val yvatc.r. a. Did it appear to you that the Commander in Chief for a considerable or any time, tlegleeted, or delayed taking etittiye steps tor • the ciestrociion of the enemy's ships atter they were on shore on the 121 h, and •after the signal- wade by the Imperjeuse that they could be destroyed ?—A, None. • Q. Did it appear to you that an blame whatever could have attached to the c. 3 of the Corn mander in Chief during his .c' ..:ce in Basque Roads, from the lgth • • the 29th of April ?—A. No'; I aftion of any thing of the kind: Q. From' 'he first a e enemy's ships,_ to the. final cessation . ties. against them, , i was,every thing. done tl Id be done to effed their deStrudion I thin • there was, with the class of vessels that were present. Q. Do you know of any vessels that were with- held that might have been employed in that service ? —A. None whatever. When I speak of the class of vessels that were preient, I mean that there were no vessels under his Lordship's command, with the draft of water , they had, that could have further effected the destrudinn of the enemy. Every application that I made to his Lordship to effect their destruction was always complied with. Captain RODD, of the Indefatigable examined. - - - Q. Did you, before you went into the inner road of the Isle of Aix to attack the enemy, know of any anchorage where six or any other number. of line of battle ships could have safely anchored out of the range of shot and Shell ?- 7 -A. I never did before, nor have I ever known that line of battle ships could lie there, until I saw the frigates after the a&ion lie there ; and I did pot know they could' lie there until that time. ~ .• • Q. Did it appear to you that the Commander in Chief had for a considerable o- any time neglected or delayed taking effealual steps for the destraCtiou of the enetny's . ships after they were on shore on the 12th of April, and after the signal made by the Imperieuse that they could be destroyed ?—A. I know of no delay. ' Q. Did it appear that any blame was imputable to the coquet of Lord Gambier; as the Commander of the, squadron in Basque Roads, between the 17th of MarCh and the egth of April?--A. None AA hat ever. • .‘ • R. Flom the first attempt of the enemy's ships till the final cessation of hostilities against then], was every t hing dune t hat. could be done ?- 7 -4. believe every thing, Consistent With safety - to his Majesty's ships. • - •• • , Q. When you say with safetylo big )403esty's sliii.s, do you mean without their being etpOsed to any danger, or without their being to . more danger • than circumstances would justify ?—A. I mean ny their being exposed to more danger than circum stances would justify ; I think it they had gone far.- titer up they must every one nave been lost ; there were - 4 thousand chances to one against them ; as it was, they 'were ag ound for. upwards of an hour in the iodetatigaOk, and were striking for some time ,before that, And if we had nut warped the ship off with two ha Nsers, she would have been dry. On the Palais Shoal, and in the direction the anchor was lying; 1 could not find more titan five and a half, or quarter less six fathom of water. The tide was . about one-fourth less ebb. It was after the action was over. 7 ' Q. Did you, on the morning of the 12tb of April, see the linperieuse inform the Commander in Chief by signal or telegraph, that one halt: the 4cleet would be sufficient to destroy the enemy did not ; part of the signal made byThe Imperteuse about that time was reported to me, which was, that seven sail of the enemy's line of battle ships were op shore.. I do not remember what tne other signal was, Q. At what time did you go into Aix Road A. The signal was made Irian the Commander in Chid tor the fleet to weigh ; ,about two o'clock P. M. I wa, all ready for weighing, and did so im mediately. Shortly atter a signal was made for the indotatig,ible to proceed to the assistance of a ship bearing southward, that wanted immediate assist ance. The wind was light, and 1 went in under all sail, and at , citored atiout half past three, sudi cently close to hold conversation with the linpe, rieuse. We then corutm:nced a tire oh the Cal cutta,. and so.ne ut the bow guns were pointed to the Varsovie. lit going into the situation next the linpe- . rieuse, were you exposed to the tire of the batteries of the Isle d'Aix 5 or did you pass s ithout range of their shot ?—A. The shot ,went over us, passed a head and astern of us,' and the shells from Alvasorie crossed us. When you were at anchor near the Lupe, rieuse, were you slid within range of the batteries of the Isle Shot passed through the main-top-inasi of the Indefatigable tioni Isle Q. Was the situation in which you were at anchor as good a one as . could be chosen for destroying the ebony's ships ?—A. For that' I was nearest the Cal cutta and Varsovie. It I had gone further in, 1 must have run around. Q: Was it a situation in which ships of the line could have been placed tOr the destruction of • the enemy's ships ?—A. Not with sa'ety ; - but at the Most imminent risk of their loss. In case: of a strong wind corning in they could not veer cable. • Q. Was there any other situation in the road of the Isle of Aix in which ships of the line could be so placed as to destroy the enemy without r►sk of being lust ?—A I think not ; I r - where the enemy were ,Aias surrounded wall shoals. Q. When yOu were within the Isle of Aix, did you"observe the state of the batteries ?-4. I did., I tlYiuglit the enemy shifted their guns from one part to the other. Ido not kroiw the ,number of gnus un the batteriei at Basque; there appeared to De tour flanking guns at different times•pointing to wards, tike ships. The works in some places were tinder repair. I don't know of, their being blown up or delstroyed. Q. When, the Indefatigable was coming out of .the harbour, did the, Imperteuse hail her, and pro pose that thelidviatigable should go one side of the orear, and the Imperteuse on the other'?--A. Lord ' (.3(hrane hailed me from the Imperieuse, but what he said I could nut distinctly make out. He asked the if I had been aground ? I replied yes. He said, I should like to take your birth. Had, he sent a, twat to me and proposed that to me, I cow(' not have thought it my duty to do so. Ido not initik, with the Water there was, I could have got near the Ocean with.ihc Indefatigable.. Q. When you were called out by signal from the Isle could - you,' by remaining there, 'wive destroyed more of the enemy's ships ?—A. I dout think we could have got up to them. Q.. Did you observe the position of trip enemy's two line - of battleships that were'lbngest afloat ? A.I-don't;know exactly how they lay. They were not in a situation that line of battle ships could, with.; Out risk, or being within the reach of the batteries of therlsle of Aix, have attacked, the ships going to, attack must have been disabled by the batteries in coming in. - Lord GAMBLER declined asking this witness any questions at present. Here the Court was cleared, and on our re-ad mission. the PRESIDENT informed Lord Gambier that the Court„ had determined not to call any other witness on the part of what was called the Prosecution, It now, therefore, remained with Lord Gambier to signify to the Court on -.what day it would be convenient for him to enter on his defence. . Lord GAMBIER thanked the Court for the indul gence':granted, but said he could not .exaaly say at tharmoment. He was fearful, howeVer, be should be obli g ed to detain the Court till Monday. The PRESIDENT then informed his Lordship, that the Court must- sit again for the purpose of ad; journing, when his Lordship would have an op portunity of naming the day on which he should be ready. _ The Court then adjourned till to-morrow (this cday) ; and it was signified to the witnesses they need not attend till Monday. PORTUGUESE PAPERS. LISBON, JULY 2.—ExtraiSt of a private letter " Sir Arthur Wellesley is by this time at Placentia, and you may shortly expe6l to hear either or a battle, or that our army is besieging Madrid." GALLICIA, JUNE 27..—50u1s is retiring from Gal• licia,by the route of Peubli de . Sinolva, where he still was on the 26th inst. Ney has left Leugo ftir Cas tile, by the way of Villafranca„ proceeding towards Astorga. A division of the Marquis Romana,corw. rnanded, by General Carrera, has already entered COrtinna ;. and in the vicinity of Ferrol a detach ment of English troops has already disembarked...o The whole of Gallicia is free from the French, and the, Marquis Romans is about to establish his head quarters inSorense f _ Kellerman is At present is oeiAbOurhood a of Ciudad Roderig.).. ALVARM JUNE 24.---Yesterday evening I went taseconDoitre the French batteries, which defended the pave of the Tagus over the bridge of Al mares ; they consisted of two of pieces, and one of tour, which traversed the high road, so that not a single person could pass, and it was evident they were de.. termined to- use every effort to prevent our Graaf from consirutiting a bridge of boats, but they were unable to prevent it, and T hey retreated thii morn ing at 3 o'clock, abandoning their batteries. Our army continues in , pursuit, and General CUESTA i 5 at this time passing the bridge. Our perfidious enern mies in all parts leave proofs of their barbarity and fe4 rocil7, by reducing to ashes the very towns tow hicb they are indebted for subsistence. Al tnarez and Na" . wilmoral de Placencia are now in flames. Extract of a Letter from a Portuguese Officer, dated Head-quarters, Almaraz, June 24 : ALMARAZ, writ 2g.—The latest advises frott our army confirm the intelligence, that, on the zilth , it was preparing to cross the Ta..! us, in two gramt di' visions, one by the ' bridge of Arzilispo, and ths other by the bridge of Almarez. They had both been abandoned by the enemy, who, according to all accounts, had taken the direEtion of the high mad to Madrid, with, perhaps', the design of join-. . ing the army of La Mancha, which had taken the same route, and by this m e ans avoid the destruaioa that awaited the two armies, %wakened by the con" tinual losses they have suffered." MAILS. AAR ivicn—FGottenhurgh, i Cadiz, I Jamaica, lltis-1 Lisbon, Malta, z Waterford. piti,ct 01 sTocKs THIS DAY AT TWRI,VIL O'CLOCK. •-• 63 Ornnium Consols - - li Pr', Tfi E S UN. •OLIM. QVIS DiCtipt 11:ALSU* AUDIOLT LONDON, SATURDAY, JULY 9, 1809. haVe the satisfaaion of stating, that a Tele' graphic Dispatch reached the Admiralty this morn ing,, announcing that the last division of the Expe dition, under the command of Admiral OrvFA. l O Sailed from the Downs at five o'clock this . morning , with a faiiourable wind. The former divisions, w° have no doubt, have before this time reached the place Of their destination. The whole of the, laud force embarked amounts to rather more than 44,000 men, including 3000 artillery and 2600 cavalry.—' All the marines belonging to the Ships of War will ad with the land forces, and a considerable numbet of sailors, will be landed, to assist in working the guns; so that the whole force employed on shore will not be less than 50,000 men. Last night we received Portuguese Papers' to the yth ultitno. The trench have completely evacuated Gallicia SOULT has retired by the viay of Puebla de Senobria. It was reported this morning, that he . had been stirtaunded and forced to lay down his Arms, but we have not been able 'to ascertain upoll What authoiity the report was founded. We this day received Jamaica Papers to the ioth ult. but we have no %room for their contents at pre' sent. The Expedition against the City of St. Do• mingo sailed from Jamaica on the 7tb ult. L uicif the command of Majoi-Genera' CARMIcHAEL. The Embato is taken off vessels going to tl' e Southward and Westward.